Tuesday, February 2

1In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up. The house was full of His glory.

2Around Him stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

3And one cried to another and said, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.'

4The lintel was lifted up by the voice of those who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

5So I said, 'Woe is me, because I am pierced to the heart, for being a man and having unclean lips, I dwell in the midst of a people with unclean lips; for I saw the King, the Lord of hosts, with my eyes!'

6Then one of the seraphim was sent to me. He had a live coal in his hand, which he took with tongs from the altar.

7He touched my mouth, and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips. Your lawlessness is taken away, and your sin is cleansed.'

8I also heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people?' Then I said, 'Behold, here am I, send me.'

9So He said, 'Go, and tell this people, 'You shall hear indeed, but not understand; and you shall see indeed, but not perceive.'

10For the heart of this people has become insensitive, and their ears hear with difficulty. They have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return, and I should heal them.'

11Then I said, 'Lord, how long?' So He answered, 'Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without people, and the land shall be left desolate.

12After this God will remove the people far away, and those left in the land shall multiply.

1The vision of Egypt: Behold, the Lord sits on a swift cloud and shall come to Egypt, and the things made by hands in Egypt shall be shaken by His presence, and their heart shall be overcome within them.

2'Egyptians shall be stirred up against Egyptians, and a man shall fight against his brother, and a man against his neighbor, city against city and law against law.

3The spirit of the Egyptians will be troubled within them, and I will reject their counsel, and they shall consult their gods and their statues, and those who speak from the earth and are ventriloquists.

4And I will deliver Egypt into the hands of harsh lords and kings who will rule over them,' thus says the Lord of hosts.

5And the Egyptians will drink water from the sea, for the river will run dry and have no water.

6The streams and canals of the river will fail; and every reservoir shall dry up, as well as every marsh of reed and papyrus.

7All the greenery around the river and everything sown alongside the river shall be blasted by the wind and dried up.

8The fishermen will also groan, and all who cast a fishhook into the river will also lament, and those who cast dragnets and the anglers shall mourn.

9Shame shall fall on those who work fine flax, and those who weave fine fabric will be ashamed.

10Those who work these things will be in pain. All who make strong drink shall grieve and suffer in their souls.

11The rulers of Tanis are fools. As for the king's wise counselors, their counsel will be turned into foolishness. How will you say to the king, 'We are sons of the wise, we are sons of kings of old'?

12Where are your wise men now? Let them now tell you, and let them say what the Lord of hosts planned against Egypt.

13The rulers of Tanis have failed, and the rulers of Memphis are exalted, and they shall lead Egypt astray according to tribes.

14For the Lord prepared for them a spirit of error, and they led Egypt astray in all their works, like a drunken man who staggers and vomits.

15There shall be no work for the Egyptians that will bring about employer and employee, and beginning and completion.

16In that day, the Egyptians shall be like women in fear and trembling because of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He shall lay upon them.

17The country of the Jews will be a terror to the Egyptians. If anyone mentions it to them, they will be in fear, because of the counsel the Lord purposed concerning it.

18In that day, five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the name of the Lord; one city will be called the City of Justice.

19In that day, there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the country of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord at its border.

20It will be a sign forever to the Lord in the country of Egypt, for they will cry to the Lord because of their oppressors, and the Lord will send them a Man who will save them. He will judge and save them.

21Then the Lord will be known to the Egyptians, and in that day the Egyptians will know the Lord and offer sacrifices. Yes, they will make vows to the Lord and pay them.

25And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,

28he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29'Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;

30For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.'

7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.

8Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak,

10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

11Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?

12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.

13For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.

14For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

15And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest

16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.

17For He testifies: 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.'

25See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,

26whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.'

27Now this, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

29For our God is a consuming fire.

1Let brotherly love continue.

2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

3Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.

4Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'

6So we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'

7Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

10We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

11For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

12Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

13Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

14For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

15Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

16But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

17Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

18Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.

19But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

22And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.

23Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly.

24Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.

25Grace be with you all. Amen.

22Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD'),

24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, 'A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.'

25And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,

28he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29'Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;

30For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.'

33And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.

34Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, 'Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against

35(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'

36Now there was one, Anna, prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;

37and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

38And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

39So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

40And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

2The Pharisees came and asked Him, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?' testing Him.

3And He answered and said to them, 'What did Moses command you?'

4They said, 'Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.'

5And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

6But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'

7'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,

8and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.

9Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.'

10In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.

11So He said to them, 'Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.

12And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.'